The Discipline Committee hears matters regarding allegations of professional misconduct and/or incompetence which have been referred by the Complaints Committee following investigation.
The College is mandated to publish a summary of its disciplinary decisions and reasons when the Discipline Committee makes a finding of guilt. These disciplinary decisions are then published on the College’s website, on our blog and on CanLII, the Canadian Legal Information Institute’s website.
Amandeep Kaur Johal, RECE # 48835
Facts: The Member pled guilty to professional misconduct. Following an uncontested hearing, the Discipline Committee accepted the following admissions as facts.
While the Member was responsible for supervising the toddler classroom at a child care centre, the Member tied three different children to chairs on multiple occasions during snack and lunch times. On some of these occasions, the chairs fell over with the children tied to them. The Member also instructed staff members to tie up children, telling staff the children were “ready for the tie now” and warning children they would be tied to a chair or would “[go] to the baby chair” when they did not listen to the Member’s instructions.
Finding: In its decision, the panel found that the evidence supported findings of professional misconduct.
The Member was found guilty of several acts of professional misconduct (Ontario Regulation 223/08), including verbally abusing a child who was under her professional supervision; physically abusing a child who was under her professional supervision; psychologically and/or emotionally abusing a child who was under her professional supervision; failing to maintain the standards of the profession; acting or failing to act in a manner that, having regard to the circumstances, would reasonably be regarded by members as disgraceful, dishonourable or unprofessional; and conducting herself in a manner that is unbecoming a member.
The panel stated: “The Member did not work to create a safe, healthy and inviting environment to promote the children’s sense of belonging, well-bring or inclusion when she restrained and threatened them.”
Penalty: The Committee directed the Registrar to suspend the Member’s certificate of registration for at least fourteen months and to impose terms, conditions and limitations on the Member’s certificate of registration including coursework, mentoring and workplace monitoring. The Committee also required the Member to appear before it to be reprimanded and ordered the Member to pay $1,000 to reimburse the College for a portion of the prosecution and hearing costs.
The full decision can be found here, linked under the heading “Special Notices”.
Sheryl Anne Grant, RECE # 12764
Facts: The Member pled guilty to professional misconduct. Following an uncontested hearing, the Discipline Committee accepted the following admissions as facts.
The Member engaged in a pattern of aggressive, forceful and abusive physical and verbal conduct toward at least ten preschool aged children.
The Member’s aggressive, forceful and abusive physical conduct included grabbing, pushing, pulling and holding children, including
- Grabbing and shoving children, including forcefully putting them into chairs.
- Picking up chairs while children were seated in them.
- Pushing seated children, including a non-verbal four-year-old and a three-year old with delayed speech, into the table on multiple occasions.
- Pulling a child aggressively, causing them to trip, and then forcefully sitting them on a bed and yelling at them.
- Holding down a child by the arm and pushing them while using harsh language.
- Flipping several children from their backs to the stomachs, restraining them by their feet and aggressively covering them with blankets and pinning them to their cots. On one occasion, the Member caused a four-year-old to hit their head on a bookshelf by flipping them over in their bed during naptime and then failed to check for injuries when the child was crying and said the Member was hurting them.
The Member’s aggressive, forceful and abusive verbal conduct included yelling and using harsh language, including
- Raising her voice and yelling at children.
- Sarcastically asking a child if they needed new batteries for their hearing aids, even though the child did not require hearing aids.
- Telling a toddler-aged child that they were a “bad kid”.
- Telling the child who had hit their head when the Member had flipped them over in their bed that they would not have been hurt if they “went to sleep properly and stopped goofing around.”
Finding: In its decision, the panel found that the evidence supported findings of professional misconduct.
The Member was found guilty of several acts of professional misconduct (Ontario Regulation 223/08), including verbally abusing a child who was under her professional supervision; physically abusing a child who was under her professional supervision; psychologically and/or emotionally abusing a child who was under her professional supervision; failing to maintain the standards of the profession; acting or failing to act in a manner that, having regard to the circumstances, would reasonably be regarded by members as disgraceful, dishonourable or unprofessional; and conducting herself in a manner that is unbecoming a member.
Penalty: The Committee directed the Registrar to revoke the Member’s certificate of registration. The Committee also required the Member to appear before a panel to be reprimanded and ordered the Member to pay $1,000 to reimburse the College for a portion of the prosecution and hearing costs.
The full decision can be found here, linked under the heading “Special Notices”.
Amanda Grace Patterson, RECE # 36323
Facts: The Member pled guilty to professional misconduct. Following an uncontested hearing, the Discipline Committee accepted the following admissions as facts.
While the Member was providing child care services to several children in an unlicensed child care centre which she operated alone out of her home, a 16-month-old infant sustained an acute, life-threatening brain injury. Later, the Member put the child in a crib for a nap.
The Member heard stirring and checked on the child. The child had vomited and was unresponsive when the Member tried to rouse them. The Member immediately called the child’s mother and 911.
After receiving emergency medical care, including surgery, the child was found to have a brain injury, subdural hemorrhage, subgaleal hematoma and a temporal bone fracture. The child was hospitalized for two months. They made significant progress through rehabilitation services and had “lingering but limited” after-effects from the injuries when they were discharged from hospital.
A medical expert concluded that the injury occurred during the time the child was under the supervision of the Member. The Member was the only adult present during the time the injury occurred. The CAS verified that an inflicted injury occurred to the child that led to the harm but could not identify the person or means of the injury. The CAS verified that the child was not adequately supervised at the time of the injury and that this led to the harm sustained.
A police investigation did not conclusively establish the Member’s culpability.
The Member resigned from the College after the incident occurred but prior to this hearing before the Discipline Committee.
Finding: In its decision, the panel found that the evidence supported findings of professional misconduct.
The Member was found guilty of several acts of professional misconduct (Ontario Regulation 223/08), including failing to supervise adequately a person who was under her professional supervision; failing to maintain the standards of the profession; acting or failing to act in a manner that, having regard to the circumstances, would reasonably be regarded by members as disgraceful, dishonourable or unprofessional; and conducting herself in manner that is unbecoming a member.
The Panel wanted all RECEs to be aware that lack of supervision – even for a brief moment – can result in serious and tragic outcomes.
Penalty: The Committee directed the Registrar to suspend the Member’s certificate of registration for at least fourteen months (beginning if and when she reinstates her registration with the College) and to impose terms, conditions and limitations on the Member’s certificate of registration including mentoring. The Committee also required the Member to appear before it to be reprimanded and ordered the Member to pay $1,000 to reimburse the College for a portion of the prosecution and hearing costs.
The full decision can be found here, linked under the heading “Special Notices”.
Beverly Anne Renaud, RECE # 00030
Facts: The Member pled guilty to professional misconduct. Following an uncontested hearing, the Discipline Committee accepted the following admissions as facts.
While employed as the Executive Director of a child care centre, the Member received written and verbal reports on multiple occasions that several RECEs working in the centre’s preschool room were engaging in abusive behaviour towards the children. The RECEs’ reported abusive behaviour entailed forcefully grabbing and dragging children, shoving children by their backs, yelling in children’s faces, referring to children as “retarded” and “dumb”, and telling children words to the effect of “jump off a bridge” and “run in front of a car.”
Between February 2021 and June 2021, despite receiving these reports, the Member failed to take adequate steps to prevent the abusive conduct from recurring and to ensure the safety and well-being of the children in the preschool room. Additionally, the Member did not document any of the concerns that the centre’s staff verbally reported to her. Further, she did not report any of the concerns raised by the centre’s staff to the Children’s Aid Society or instruct any of the centre’s staff who reported concerns to her to report directly to CAS. The Member eventually reported the concerns to the Ministry of Education by way of a Serious Occurrence Report, but only after being instructed to do so by the centre’s Board of Directors.
Finding: In its decision, the panel found that the evidence supported findings of professional misconduct.
The Member was found guilty of several acts of professional misconduct (Ontario Regulation 223/08), including that failing to supervise adequately a person who was under her professional supervision; failing to maintain the standards of the profession; acting or failing to act in a manner that, having regard to the circumstances, would reasonably be regarded by members as disgraceful, dishonourable or unprofessional; failing to keep records as required by her professional duties; contravening a law, which contravention has caused or may have caused a child who was under her professional supervision to be put at or remain at risk; and conducting herself in a manner that is unbecoming a member.
The Panel stated: “[T]he Member’s conduct in this case showed complete disregard for the welfare and safety of children in her care. Such conduct shall not be tolerated.”
Penalty: The Committee directed the Registrar to suspend the Member’s certificate of registration for at least nine months and to impose terms, conditions and limitations on the Member’s certificate of registration, including coursework and mentoring. The Committee also required the Member to appear before it to be reprimanded and ordered the Member to pay $1,000 to reimburse the College for a portion of the prosecution and hearing costs.
The full decision can be found here, linked under the heading “Special Notices”.
Alyssa Spadafora, RECE # 54921
Facts: The Member pled guilty to professional misconduct. Following an uncontested hearing, the Discipline Committee accepted the following admissions as facts.
The Member and her colleague were responsible for supervising a group of 12 children in an unfenced forested area of the child care centre’s campus. One of the children, who was non-verbal with special needs, wandered away from the group unnoticed. The child was found by campus security 7 to 10 minutes later near one of the driveways exiting the campus. The security guard took the child to the campus security office and called the police and the supervisor of the centre. The supervisor called the Member and her colleague to confirm the child’s identity. Up until that time, the Member and her colleague did not realize the child was missing.
Finding: In its decision, the panel found that the evidence supported findings of professional misconduct.
The Member was found guilty of several acts of professional misconduct (Ontario Regulation 223/08), including failing to supervise adequately a person who was under her professional supervision; failing to maintain the standards of the profession; acting or failing to act in a manner that, having regard to the circumstances, would reasonably be regarded by members as disgraceful, dishonourable or unprofessional; and conducting herself in a manner that is unbecoming a member.
Penalty: The Committee directed the Registrar to suspend the Member’s certificate of registration for five months and to impose terms, conditions and limitations on the Member’s certificate of registration, including mentoring. The Committee also required the Member to appear before it to be reprimanded and ordered the Member to pay $1,000 to reimburse the College for a portion of the prosecution and hearing costs.
The full decision can be found here, linked under the heading “Special Notices”.
Carmina Bautista Julio, RECE # 103663
Facts: The Member admitted to professional misconduct. Following an uncontested hearing, the Discipline Committee accepted the following admissions as facts.
The Member forcefully restrained a non-verbal three-year-old child with autism while the child was face down on a cot. The Member did this for approximately 8 to 10 minutes by placing her legs across the child’s upper body. The child, whose body and head were fully covered with a blanket, cried, moved their head back and forth and attempted to resist by kicking the Member and trying to get up. A supervisor who was in another room heard the child’s cries. The supervisor entered the preschool room where the child and Member were and admonished the Member for restraining the child. Only then did the Member release the child.
Following the incident, the Member asked the supervisor not to say anything about it and, later that evening, the Member texted the supervisor and again begged for another chance.
Finding: In its decision, the panel found that the evidence supported findings of professional misconduct.
The Member was found guilty of several acts of professional misconduct (Ontario Regulation 223/08), includingphysically abusing a child who was under her professional supervision; psychologically and/or emotionally abusing a child who was under her professional supervision; failing to maintain the standards of the profession; acting or failing to act in a manner that, having regard to the circumstances, would reasonably be regarded by members as disgraceful, dishonourable or unprofessional; and conducting herself in a manner that is unbecoming a member.
The panel was particularly disturbed with the Member’s attempt at influencing the supervisor in not reporting her misconduct. The duty to report is paramount in an RECE’s and supervisor’s responsibilities.
Penalty: The Committee directed the Registrar to suspend the Member’s certificate of registration for at least thirteen months and to impose terms, conditions and limitations on the Member’s certificate of registration, including coursework and mentoring The Committee also required the Member to appear before it to be reprimanded and ordered the Member to pay $1,000 to reimburse the College for a portion of the prosecution and hearing costs.
The full decision can be found here, linked under the heading “Special Notices”.
Chelsea Lynne May Jalbert
Facts: The Member admitted to professional misconduct. Following an uncontested hearing, the Discipline Committee accepted the following admissions as facts.
While employed as a supervisor at a child care centre, the Member received written and verbal reports from an employee under her supervision that another RECE employed at the centre was repeatedly engaging in abusive conduct towards children. The concerns reported to the Member indicated that the other RECE was screaming and swearing at children, speaking to them in a manner that was threatening and demeaning, preventing a tired child from sleeping during naptime, forcefully grabbing children, and leaving a child isolated and unsupervised outside of the classroom.
The Member met with the reporting employee and the centre’s licensee and program coordinator to discuss the report. The Member was told to terminate the RECE’s employment, and to file reports with the Ministry of Education and the College. The member refused to terminate the RECE’s employment.
The day after that meeting, the reporting employee verbally reported again that the RECE had restrained a three-year-old on their cot that morning by placing her leg over the child’s back to stop the child from moving while whispering to the child that the child was “a stubborn little one.” The reporting employee asked the Member what was being done to protect the children and was told by the Member that her report was “going nowhere” and that it “will only stay with us” and “we will wait until Monday.”
The reporting employee reported her concerns to CAS, resulting in an investigation which verified a risk of physical and emotional harm to children by the RECE. The licensee filed the Serious Occurrence Report to the Ministry who issued a Compliance Order against the RECE. The RECE’s employment was then terminated.
Despite the Member’s duty to report the concerning behaviour, she did not report to CAS or instruct the reporting employee to report it. The Member also did not file a Serious Occurrence Report to the Ministry of Education, and she did not file a Mandatory Employer Report with the College until approximately six months after the RECE was let go. The Member did not document her conversations and meetings with the reporting employee, the centre’s licensee and program manager, or the RECE who was alleged to have been abusive toward children. Additionally, when asked to provide documents by the College’s investigator, the Member did not provide the documents and falsely advised the investigator that the centre did not have the documents.
Finding: In its decision, the panel found that the evidence supported findings of professional misconduct.
The Member was found guilty of several acts of professional misconduct (Ontario Regulation 223/08), including failing to supervise adequately a person who was under her professional supervision; failing to maintain the standards of the profession; acting or failing to act in a manner that, having regard to the circumstances, would reasonably be regarded by members as disgraceful, dishonourable or unprofessional; failing to keep records as required by her professional duties; contravening a law, which contravention has caused or may have caused a child who was under her professional supervision to be put at or remain at risk; conducting herself in a manner that is unbecoming a member; failing to co-operate in an investigation conducted by the College; and failing to take reasonable steps to ensure that the requested information is provided in a complete and accurate manner, if the Member is required to provide information to the College under the Act, regulations or by-laws.
The panel stated: “This case is particularly egregious because the Member received verbal and written reports from one staff member about another staff member’s verbal and physical abuse of children and did nothing. As a supervisor, she was required to document the incidents and report them to CAS and to the Ministry.”
Penalty: The Committee directed the Registrar to suspend the Member’s certificate of registration for at least fourteen months and to impose terms, conditions and limitations on the Member’s certificate of registration, including coursework and mentoring The Committee also required the Member to appear before it to be reprimanded and ordered the Member to pay $1,000 to reimburse the College for a portion of the prosecution and hearing costs.
The full decision can be found here , linked under the heading “Special Notices”.